Favorite Flavor
by XanimegrrlX
Summary: Post-Reunion fluff oneshot. "Sometimes you have to endure a bit of salt to get to something sweet, and in the end the salt makes the sweet thing taste even better." Shion decides to show Nezumi his favorite type of ice cream sundae. Rated for a french kiss near the end, and nothing else.


Nezumi sat in Shion's apartment, anxiously awaiting the boy's return. Over the past few weeks since he had returned, Shion had told him many times that it was both of their apartment, but Nezumi could only think of it as Shion's.

Minor details aside, Shion was late. This simple fact made Nezumi more than a little antsy. Usually he would come home from the restructural committee headquarters no later than 5:30, and the two of them would prepare dinner together. He looked at the clock again, and it was already 5:47. Nezumi started pacing back and forth in the living room area, frequently sending anxious looks to the front door.

He finally got fed up with waiting and was about to go out looking for Shion when he heard the front door open. Shion walked in carrying some grocery bags and called out, "I'm home!"

Filled with relief, Nezumi assumed his standard smirk and said, "Well, you sure took your sweet time coming home, your highness." He hoped that by teasing Shion, the boy wouldn't realize how troubled he had been a minute ago.

Shion smiled apologetically and said, "Sorry, I decided to go grocery shopping on my way back." Nezumi frowned slightly at this, hurt that Shion hadn't come home first so that they could have gone shopping together. Nezumi said nothing though, not wanting Shion to know that he felt saddened by something so trivial. However, Shion noticed the unhappy look in his grey eyes and instantly figured out what Nezumi was thinking, so he added, "I would have come home first, but my favorite ice cream shop closes at six, and I wanted to get some things from there."

Nezumi was surprised at Shion's ability to seemingly read his mind, but resigned himself to toying with Shion's white hair while the boy set various containers from the shopping bags onto the counter. "Ice cream? Indulging ourselves, are we?" asked Nezumi teasingly.

Shion nodded absentmindedly and said, "After you left I started to make myself a sundae whenever I was feeling really sad and lonely. Today I thought it would be nice to have one on a happy occasion instead." Nezumi felt a strange mixture of guilt and happiness at these words, and was unsure what to say next when he noticed one of the objects Shion had placed on the counter.

"Shion..." Nezumi said questioningly.

Shion smiled at him and responded with a simple, "Yes?"

"What is that?" Nezumi asked while pointing at the item innocently sitting between the bucket of vanilla ice cream and a jar of rainbow sprinkles.

Shion's gaze followed Nezumi's finger to the package he was pointing to, and after recognizing it he replied, "Dried seaweed."

Nezumi sighed and again asked, "And what's it doing there with all the stuff for ice cream sundaes?"

Shion got a look on his face that said he finally understood what Nezumi was getting at and said, "Oh, you've never had seaweed on a sundae? I thought maybe you would have run into it during your travels."

Nezumi grabbed Shion's shoulders, looked deeply into his crimson eyes, and said slowly, "Shion, I ran across many culinary oddities during my journey, but none of them were as appalling or horrifying as seaweed on a sundae."

"Really? But it's delicious! I bet you'll love it once you try it," said Shion with another smile.

"No thank you. I would rather keep the ice cream in my stomach," said Nezumi.

Shion shrugged off Nezumi's grip and grabbed two bowls from the cupboard. He gave one to Nezumi and said, "In that case, I suppose it would be best if we each made our own."

After a few minutes filled with light bickering and some pouting from Shion, the two were sitting at the table with their ice cream sundaes. Shion's was heavily covered in various syrups, sprinkles, and toppings, not to mention a thick layer of seaweed. Nezumi's was much simpler, with chocolate syrup, some whipped cream, and a single cherry on top. Shion took a large bite of his first with a beaming smile on his face while Nezumi stared at him in disgust.

"I can't believe you actually enjoy that," said Nezumi.

"Well I can't believe you don't want to try it," retorted Shion.

Nezumi scowled and said, "Just tell me how that abominable mixture of flavors could possibly be good."

"It's kinda difficult to explain, but the saltiness and sweetness go really good together," Shion said while curling a lock of silver hair around his index finger, "It also kinda reminds me of live itself, in a way...like how sometimes you have to endure a bit of salt to get to something sweet, and in the end the salt makes the sweet thing taste even better...or something like that," Shion finished with a smile.

The red-eyed boy continued eating happily, but in his mind's eye Nezumi could see a completely different scene: Shion eating eating a seaweed sundae alone, smile erased, eyelids puffy from crying, the cheerful shine in his scarlet eyes long gone. This other Shion was eating the seaweed sundae as if to tell himself that if he endured enough salt something sweet would eventually come along and end his loneliness.

This image put a bitter taste in Nezumi's mouth, and he started shoveling his sundae into his mouth, barely tasting anything. Soon his sundae had disappeared.

When Shion was on the last bite of his seaweed sundae he looked at Nezumi and said, "Are you sure you don't want to try it? You can have the last bit if you want."

"No thanks, it sounds disgusting," said Nezumi.

Shion pouted a bit and replied, "It's my favorite flavor, though." He then sighed and took the last bite. Still pouting, he then proceeded to lick the cream, syrup, and grains of salt from his lips.

Nezumi was taken aback by how cute Shion looked when he was pouting, and without thinking he leaned forward, grabbed a fistful of snowy white hair, and pulled Shion into a kiss. Shion gasped in surprise, and Nezumi took that as a chance to slip his tongue into the other boy's mouth. His tongue was immediately greeted with the salty sweet taste of the seaweed sundae, and he then understood why Shion liked it. However, he soon found an even better taste that was stronger than that of the seaweed or the ice cream. It was the taste of Shion, and it was the most delicious thing he had ever tasted. He continued savoring the flavor of Shion and didn't pull back until his lungs ached for air. Nezumi panted lightly, and Shion gulped in as much oxygen as he could and stared at Nezumi in shock and wonder.

Nezumi said with a smirk, "You're my favorite flavor."


End file.
